Blair Underwood
Blair Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award nominations, three NAACP Image Awards and 1 Grammy Award.
His feature film debut was the 1985 movie Krush Groove. His 1985 appearance on The Cosby Show landed him a short stint on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, which eventually led to his performance on the TV series L.A. Law, where he appeared from 1987 to 1994.
Underwood broke into film with roles in Just Cause (1995), Set It Off (1996) and Deep Impact (1998). He also had a supporting role as a geneticist in the film Gattaca. In 2000, he played the lead role in the short-lived television series City of Angels. In 2003, he guest starred in four episodes on the HBO series Sex and the City playing Cynthia Nixon's love interest. In 2004, he played the role of Roger De Souza opposite Heather Locklear in NBC's LAX.
He gained acclaim as the sexy grade school teacher in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus for two years. In 2007, he guest starred in an episode of the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His also had a role as recurring character Alex in the HBO series In Treatment. Also in 2007, Underwood co-authored the novel Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel with husband-and-wife team Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due.
He's also had recurring roles on Dirty Sexy Money, NBC's The Event, Ironside, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Quantico.
He has received three NAACP Image Awards, for his film work in Rules of Engagement, and his television work in L.A. Law, City of Angels, Murder in Mississippi and Mama Flora's Family. He was voted one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2000, and one of TV Guide's "Most Influential Faces of the 90s".
Acted in
Clinton: Portrait of a Presidency
2024
as Narrator
Three Women
2024
as Richard
Longlegs
2024
as Agent Carter
Tigers on the Rise
2024
as Narrator (voice)
Elsbeth
2024
as Cliff McGrath
Origin
2023
as Amari Selvan
Smothered
2023
Black Patriots: Buffalo Soldiers
2022
as Narrator (voice)
Bear Witness
2022
as Narrator (voice)
Bad Hair
2021
as Amos Bludso
A Soldier's Play
2021
as Captain Richard Davenport
Your Honor
2020
as Roland Carter
Really Love
2020
as Jerome Richmond
Love Life
2020
as Leon Hines
Penguins: Life on the Edge
2020
as Narrator (voice)
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
2020
as Charles James Walker
The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU
2020
as Self
When They See Us
2019
as Bobby Burns
Juanita
2019
as Blair Underwood
The After Party
2018
as Sgt. Martin Ellison
Mr. SOUL!
2018
as Voice of Ellis Haizlip
Olympic Pride, American Prejudice
2016
as Narrator (voice)
American Crime Story
2016
as Vernon Jordan
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
2015
as Makuu (voice)
Quantico
2015
as Owen Hall
The Trip to Bountiful
2014
as Ludie Watts
Ironside
2013
as Robert Ironside
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
2013
as Andrew Garner
Thunder and Lightning
2013
as Black Lightning
Celebrity Crime Files
2012
as Narrator (voice)
Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day
2012
as David Ames
Vietnam in HD
2011
as Charles Brown
The Art of Getting By
2011
as Principal
First Generation
2011
as Narrator
The Event
2010
as Elias Martinez
Who Do You Think You Are?
2010
as Self
The Good Wife
2009
as Harry Dargis
Weather Girl
2009
as Fitz
In Treatment
2008
as Alex Prince
The Hit
2007
as Henry Alabaster
Dirty Sexy Money
2007
as Simon Elder
Covert One: The Hades Factor
2006
as Palmer Addison
The New Adventures of Old Christine
2006
as Daniel Harris
Madea's Family Reunion
2006
as Carlos
Something New
2006
as Mark Harper
Covert One: The Hades Factor
2006
as Palmer Addison
The Golden Blaze
2005
as Gregory Fletcher (voice)
Do Geese See God
2004
as Man
LAX
2004
as Roger De Souza
Fatherhood
2004
The Gristle
2004
as Self (uncredited)
Malibu's Most Wanted
2003
as Tom Gibbsons
Half & Half
2002
as Himself
Full Frontal
2002
as Calvin / Nicholas
G
2002
as Chip Hightower
Truth Be Told
2002
as Det. Harris
Rules of Engagement
2000
as Capt. Lee
City of Angels
2000
as Ben Turner
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Miles Sennet
The Wishing Tree
1999
as Thomas
Mama Flora's Family
1998
as Willie
Asunder
1998
as Chance Williams
Sex and the City
1998
as Dr. Robert Leeds
Deep Impact
1998
as Mark Simon
Gattaca
1997
as Geneticist
Set It Off
1996
as Keith
Mistrial
1996
as Lieutenant C. Hodges
Soul of the Game
1996
as Jackie Robinson
High Incident
1996
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
as King Midas (voice)
Just Cause
1995
as Bobby Earl Ferguson
Posse
1993
as Carver
Father & Son: Dangerous Relations
1993
as Jared Williams
Voices That Care
1991
as Self - Choir Member
Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers
1991
as Reader
The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry
1991
as Self
Heat Wave
1990
as Bob Richardson
Murder in Mississippi
1990
as James Chaney
The Cover Girl and the Cop
1989
as Horace Bouchet
Mickey's 60th Birthday
1988
as Jonathan Rollins
A Different World
1987
as Zelmer Collier
21 Jump Street
1987
as Reginald Brooks
Downtown
1986
as Terry Corsaro
L.A. Law
1986
as Jonathan Rollins
Krush Groove
1985
as Russell Walker
The Cosby Show
1984
as Mark
Aspel & Company
1984
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
1983
Knight Rider
1982
as Potts
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Presenter
One Spoon of Chocolate
Viral